The government views those with income of $200,000 or more as “high-income taxpayers,” and charitable contributions are a popular write-off for this group of individuals. For 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), the average charitable contribution deduction for those with adjusted gross income (AGI) of $200,000 to under $250,000 was $11,370. For those with AGI of $250,000 or more, the average deduction was $16,580. In this period of tax uncertainty resulting from Congressional goals of tax reform, what can high-income taxpayers do to maximize their tax-advantaged giving opportunities?

Tax Rules for Charitable Contributions

High-income taxpayers should understand the basic charitable contribution rules for federal income tax purposes, which are fairly straightforward (Code §170):

• A taxpayer must itemize deductions. No above-the-line deduction for non-itemizers is allowed.

• Donations must go to an IRS-recognized charity, which can be found in Publication 78 online.